Golf game device having hole closure means



GOLF GAME DEVICE HAVING HOLE CLOSURE MEANS Filed Jan. 16, 1967 R. NEUBECK July 29, 1969 3 Sheets-Shet 1 /erz for Pug/y Neubeck 7/ if d a July 29, 1969 R. NEUBECK GOLF GAME DEVICE HAVING HOLE CLOSURE MEANS Fi led Jan. 16. 1967' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 29, 1969 R, NEUBECK 3,458,195

GOLF GAME DEVICE HAVING HOLE CLOSURE MEANS Filed Jan. 16, 1967 3 Sh t Sh t ee 5- ee 5 #7 I, Ar 1'42 /22 1241 126 E4 124 .241 i 3 1412] .132 [/0 j 133 a jag-{26 1'26 1'24 jag United States Patent 3,458,195 GOLF GAME DEVICE HAVING HOLE CLOSURE MEANS Rudy Neubeck, 5900 W. 109th Place, Chicago Ridge, Ill. 60415 Filed Jan. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 609,616 Int. 61. A63f 7/06 US. Cl. 273--87.4 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A game device for use with spherical balls and the like including a base member having a contoured playing surface, a plurality of playing characters rotatably supported about the playing surface, each of the playing characters having a ball propelling means associated therewith, a plurality of apertures within the playing surface, a closure member associated with each of the apertures and movable between a normally open position and a position closing the corresponding aperture after a ball drops therethrough, ball receiving means disposed in juxtaposition to the playing surface, and guide means adapted to convey balls to the receiving means after the balls drop through the apertures during playing of the device.

The present invention relates generally to a game device and more particularly to a game device played in a manner simulating the game of miniature golf using spherical balls which are put in motion by the players.

Many game devices have been produced which require that the player impart motion to a simulated golf ball to deposit the ball in a recess or receptacle in the playing surface. These prior game devices have generally utilized a plurality of recesses in the playing surface with each ball being aimed toward an unfilled recess. The balls in the recesses impede the travel of subsequent shots. After each player has had his turn, the balls are either manually removed from the recesses Within the playing surface or are allowed to pass below the playing surface and returned to a common position from which they may be removed for further playing. It has been found that the players of these prior game devices become proficient quite quickly and the novelty and challenge of the game quickly wear off.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a game device having a playing surface with a plurality of target apertures therein and including novel means whereby selected target apertures may be eliminated to reduce the number of targets toward which a particular player can shoot and thereby progressively increase the skill required to reach a target.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a game device utilizing a contoured playing surface having a plurality of apertures therein with novel means heing provided to close the apertures after a ball has been dropped therethrough to thereby eliminate the closed aperture as a target or obstacle for a subsequent player.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a game device having a novel means for automatically closing each target aperture provided in the playing surface upon the dropping of a ball therethrough and thereafter returning the ball to a common lift-out means.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf game device having a contoured playing surface and a plurality of playing characters disposed about the periphery of the playing surface, the playing characters being rotatably supported such that they may be aimed in a desired direction and including movable means for imparting motion to a spherical ball.

A further object of the present invention is to provide Patented July 29, 1969 a game device wherein a number of players may participate and which has a selector means cooperatively associated therewith for randomly selecting the order of playing and the particular target apertures toward which a player is to shoot.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a game device played in the nature of golf and including means for indicating the cumulative scores of the respective golfers on the game device.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a contoured playing surface is provided having a plurality of target apertures therein. The target apertures are provided with closure plates disposed below the respective apertures. The closure plates are held in releasably open positions by lever members disposed below the apertures such that a ball passing through an aperture will engage the corresponding lever member to thereupon release the closure plate and allow it to close the aperture. Guide channels are provided adjacent the aperture closure plates and lever members such that a ball passing through an aperture to effect closing of a closure plate will pass to a guide channel and thereupon into a common receiving receptacle from which it may be removed for further playing. A plurality of playing characters are disposed about the periphery of the playing surface and are rotatably supported thereon such that they may be aimed in any desired direction. The playing characters include means for imparting motion to a spherical ball placed in the line of travel of the motion imparting means. A plurality of depressions are preferably provided in the playing surface to impede the travel of balls aimed toward certain of the apertures. A rotatable player selector ring is cooperatively associated with the playing surface support member for determining the order of play and the particular apertures toward which the respective players are to shoot. The playing surface also includes means for allowing the cumulative scores of the respective players to be indicated on the game device.

Further objects and advantages of my invention, together with the organization and manner of operation thereof may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a pictorial view of a golf game device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, illustrating the aperture closure members in various operative positions, and with the base support member removed;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 ofFIGURE 3, but including a ball return guide channel;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of FIGURE 4 with the playing surface and ball return means being supported by the base support member;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a front elevational view, partially broken away, of a playing figure;

FIGURE 8 is a partial sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7 with a fragmentary portion of the support surface added;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating the means for indicating the cumulative score of an individual player;

FIGURE 10 is a partial sectional view taken substantially along the line 1010 of FIGURE 9; j

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a playing surface supporting strut in supporting relation with the playing surface; and

FIGURE 12 is a plan view of the player and target aperture selecting mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 illustrates a golf game device constructed in accordance with the present invention having an upper playing surface indicated generally by reference numeral 20. The playing surface 20 is supported by a base member comprising a plurality of support struts 22 which in turn are fixedly secured in upright positions on a base support member 24. Each of the support struts 22 has a lower portion 26 which is received within a corresponding slot 28 provided in the base support member 24. The struts 22 may be secured within the slots 28 in any suitable manner, such as by pins 30 which are passed through the base support member and the lower portions 26 of the support struts and which allow the support struts 22 to be easily disassembled from the base support member 24. Referring to FIGURE 11, the upper end of each of the support struts 22 is provided with a projecting portion 32 having a recess 34 therein. The projecting portion 32 is received through an aperture 36 provided in a depending side edge portion 38 of the playing surface 20 such that the recess 34 will receive the upper peripheral edge portion of the aperture 36 and thereby retain the support strut in relative fixed supporting relation with the playing surface 20.

Referring to FIGURE 1, taken in conjunction with FIGURE 2, the playing surface 20 comprises a generally shallow conical shaped member 40, the upper surface of which constitutes the rolling surface for spherical balls, as will be hereinafter described. Member 40 preferably has the depending peripheral side portion 38 formed integral therewith to engage the support struts 22 in supporting relation as above described. The member 40 includes a central aperture 42 which forms the opening to a center ball return receptacle defined by a depending annular wall 44 having a closed end wall portion 46. The central aperture 42 is adapted to receive a removable ball lift member 48 having a vertically extending staff portion 50 secured thereto for purposes of removing the lift member 48 from the aperture 42. A decorative flag 52 may be suitably secured to the upper end of the staff 50 if desired.

The peripheral portion of the playing surface 20 is provided with a generally raised portion 54 which serves to prevent the playing balls from leaving the playing surface. The raised portion 54 may be made of a spongelike material or cellular material and is affixed to the playing surface 20 generally adjacent the depending side portion 38 to give the appearance of turf or rough grass. The peripheral portion of the playing surface 20 also includes a number of depressions 56 formed in the member 40 which serve as obstacles to impede the travel of a ball set in motion toward a target as will become apparent hereinbelow. It will be understood that it is desirable that the depressions 56 be strategically positioned about the playing surface 20, and their positions may accordingly affect the difiiculty in playing the golf game. The raised portion 54 may be disposed about the depressions 56 so as to give the appearance of sandtraps as are normally encountered on a golf course.

A plurality of playing characters, shown generally by reference numeral 60, are disposed about the peripheral portion of the playing surface 20 in generally equidistant radial relation to the center aperture 42. The playing characters 60 are roiatably supported relative to the member 40 and include rotatable upper body portions allowing the playing characters to impart motion to a spherical ball 62. Referring to FIGURES 7 and 8, the playing characters 60 have a configuration generally similar to that of a golfer when in a club swinging position. The playing characters 60 include leg portions 64 which have depending pin-like projections 66 extending downwardly from the bottom of the legs. The pin-like projections 66 are received Within corresponding apertures 68 provided in a support plate 70 mounted on the member 40. The support plate 70 comprises a circular member which is rotatably received within an aperture 71 provided in the member 40 and has a relieved portion 72 on the underside thereof which overlies an annular portion 74 of the aperture 71 to allow support plate 70 to freely rotate upon member 40. A bottom plate member 76, having a diameter greater than the diameter of aperture 71 in member 40, is secured to the underside of support plate 70 in a suitable manner, such as by screw 78, and serves to retain plate 70 within the aperture 71 while allowing rotation thereof. The thickness of support plate 70 is such that tightening the bottom plate 76 against plate 70 through screw 78 will cause the relieved portion 72 to tighten against the annular portion 74 of the aperture 71 and thereby serve as means to control the freedom of rotation of plate 70 relative to member 40. It is desirable that the support plate '70 be rotatable to properly aim the ball 62 but tight enough to prevent rotation during shooting.

Each of the playing members 60 has an upper body portion 80 having depending arms 82 which suitably secure and retain a shaft 84 of a clubhead 86. The shaft 84 may be secured to the lower portions of the arms 82 in any suitable fashion so as to be fixedly secured thereto. The upper body portion 80 of each of the playing members 60 is provided with a tapered aperture which receives a similarly tapered shank 92 therethrough such that the upper body portion 80 is rotatable about the shank 92. The lower end of the shank 92 is secured in a recess 94 of the legs 64. The tapered shank 92 limits the upward movement of the upper body 80 on the shank 92 while allowing relative rotational sliding movement between the upper body portion 80 and a mating surface 98 on the upper portion of the legs 64. A simulated head 100 may be suitably fashioned on the upper end of shank 92 to thereby complete the presentation of the playing character 60. It will thus be seen that by rotating the upper body portion 80 of a playing character 60, the clubhead 86 will be caused to swing through an arcuate motion and impart motion to a spherical ball 62 positioned in a support plate recess 102 in the path of travel of clubhead 86.

Referring now to FIGURES 3-6, taken in conjunction with FIGURE 1, a plurality of apertures 106 are provided in member 40 of playing surface 20. The apertures 106 are preferably disposed in radial spaced relation with a series of four apertures being provided in each of the four quadrants of playing surfaces 20 such that each series is generally angularly disposed 90 degrees from the two adjacent series. Each of the apertures 106 has an aperture closure means associated therewith comprising a closure plate 108 supported on a pivotally mounted backing member 110 which allows the closure plate 108 to be moved into a position to close the aperture 106. The closure plate 108 is generally circular in planar configuration and has a thickness such that when the closure plate is in an aperture closing position, the upper surface thereof will be coincident with the upper surface of member 40. The plate backing member 110 is pivotally mounted upon a pin 112 which is supported by a pair of downwardly depending wall members 114 and 116 as through apertures provided in the respective depending wall members. The pin 112 are suported adjacent the apertures 106 such that the closure plates 108 will be received within apertures provided in the respective depending wall members 110 are in their upward aperture closing positions. A coil spring 118 is disposed upon each pin 112 with its respective end portions engaging the underside of member 40 and a backing member 110 such that the backing member will be biased upwardly into aperture closing position.

Secured to the bottom edge portions of the depending wall members 114 and 116 is a bottom plate 120. A plurality of depending sectioning members 122 are suitably secured between the underside of member 40 and the plate 120 and are of a width sufiicient to engage the depending wall members 114 and 116 thereby forming individual chambers below the respective apertures 106. A lever plate member 124 is provided below each aperture 106 and provides a means for releasably holding the corresponding aperture closing plate 108 and its respective backing member 110 in an open position as will be more fully explained hereinbelow. Each of the lever plate members 124 is pivotally mounted upon a pin 126 which is suitably supported in the depending wall members 114 and 116 in close proximity to the bottom plate 120. A coil spring 128 is disposed upon each pin 126 in a recess portion 130 of the corresponding lever plate 124 with its respective end portions suitably engaging the upper surface of bottom plate 120 and the bottom surface of the lever plate so as to urge the lever plate upwardly about the pin 126. The lever plate members 124 are limited in their upward movement by depending stop members 132. The stop members 132 are angularly disposed relative to Wall members 114 and 116 and depend downwardly from member 40 a distance sufiicient to allow the outer ends of the lever plate members 124 to engage the backing members 110 when the closure plates 108 are in their downwardly disposed positions. Thus, it can be seen that the lever members 124 will hold the closure plates 108 in their open positions until the lever members are pivoted downwardly at which time they will release the backing members 110 and allow the closure plates to close their corresponding apertures 106.

The depending wall member 116 is provided with a plurality of apertures 134 which are of sufficient cross section to allow a spherical ball 62 to pass therethrough after dropping through one of the apertures 106 in the playing surface 20. The angularly disposed stop members 132 serve to guide the balls 62 through the apertures 134 where they are received within a ball guide means or channel 136 defined by the depending wall member 116, a depending wall member 138 disposed in parallel relation to the depending wall member 116, and the bottom plate member 120. The outer end of the guide channel 136 is closed by a depending plate 140. The radially inward portions of the depending wall members 116 and 138 and the bottom plate 120 engage the annular wall 44 defining the apreture 42 in the center of the playing surface 20 such that the channel 136 communicates with an aperture 142 in the annular wall 144. A ball 62 dropped through one of the open apertures 106 will pass through the corresponding aperture 134 in the depending wall 116 and into the guide channel 136 whereupon it will be conveyed to the center receiving aperture 42. The base support member 24 includes a center raised boss portion 144 having a recess 146 therein to receive the depending annular wall 44 and its closed end portion 46 of the member 40 to thereby assist in supporting the playing surface 20. The end wall portion 46 of the depending annular wall 44 may be suitably secured in the recess 146 by a conventional nut and bolt arrangement 148. Having the apertures 106 as preferably being disposed in radial aligned spaced relation in each of the quadrants of playing surface 20, it will be understood that aperture closing mechanism and a guide channel 136 as above described with respect to FIGURES 3-6 will be provided for each set of radially spaced apertures 106 in the playing surface 20.

Referring now to FIGURES l and 2, taken in conjunction with FIGURE 12, the golf game device includes a means for randomly selecting the order in which the persons playing the golf game are to shoot and the particular target apertures toward which the players are to shoot. Theselecting means comprises an annular ring member 150 supported upon a plurality of radially disposed upwardly extending struts 152 Which have their inner ends secured to an annular member 154. Member 154 is disposed about the raised boss portion 144 of the base support member 24 and is supported in vertical spaced relation from an annular race ring 156 by a plurality of spherical bearings 158, thus allowing the annular member 154 to be freely rotatable on the bearings 158 about the raised boss 144.

The annular member 154 is provided with a plurality of teeth-like projections 160 (FIGURE 5) which are angularly disposed relative to the vertical axis so as to provide a serrated ring adapted to engage a flexible finger member 162 which is suitably secured to the end of a depending arm member 164. The depending arm member 164 is in turn secured to the bottom surface of member 40. The flexible finger member 162 is preferably made of a felt-like material of a width sufficient to allow it to be received between adjacent teeth projections 160 on the annular support member 154. Imparting a rotating motion to the annular ring will cause the ring to rotate about the raised boss 144 until such time as it is stopped by the flexible finger 162 engaging the teeth and becoming fixedly disposed between two adjacent teeth. Preferably, each radial series of apertures 106 and the corresponding closure plates 108 are given a color different from each of the other series of apertures. For example, one series of apertures and closure plates may be colored red, another blue, another yellow and the remaining series orange. The annular ring member 150 is provided with colored stripes 151a-d about the circumference of the ring, which stripes correspond in color to the colors of the apertures 106 and closure plates 108. Each playing character 60 is also colored to correspond to one of the colors of the apertures. Prior to beginning play, each player selects a color which he wishes to follow. After making a selection, the players then use the player character 60 corresponding to their selected colors. The annular member 150 is then rotated and the color stripe stopping adjacent a preselected support strut 22 determines which player is to start play. If desired, the annular ring 150 may be rotated a second time to determine the color of apertures toward which the previously determined player is to shoot.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, taken in conjunction with FIGURES 9 and 10, means for indicating the cumulative scores of the respective players are provided on the outer periphery of playing surface 20'. The score indicating means are provided in close proximity to each of the playing characters 60 and comprise a plurality of flag-shaped members 168 which are mounted for vertical movement relative to the raised portion 54 on the playing surface 20. Each of the flag-shaped members 168 is fixedly secured on the upper end of a shaft 170 which passes through an aperture 172 provided in the member 40. A depending guide plate 174 is secured to the bottom surface of member 40 and includes a plurality of substantially vertical slots or recesses 176 therein having widths slightly larger than the diameters of the shafts 170 to allow sliding movement of a lower end 178 of each shaft 170 within the slot 176. The slots 176 cooperate with the apertures 172 in member 40 to maintain the shafts 170 in substantially vertical positions. A snapring 180 is preferably secured to the end portion 178 of each shaft 70 to retain the end 178 within its corresponding slot 176. The shafts 170 also pass through apertures 182 provided in the raised portion 54 of spongelike material. The apertures 182 snugly receive each shaft 170 so as to retain the flags 168 in an upward or downward position once they are positioned by the respective players. Each of the flags 168 may be appropriately numbered as desired such that the cumulative score of the respective players may be readily visible to all of the participants in the game.

It will be understood that the above-described recesses 56 in the playing surface member 40 may be strategically positioned relative to the playing characters 60 and the apertures 106 so as to impede the direct line of travel between the respective playing characters 60 and selected apertures 106. The playing surface member 40 may be made of a molded plastic material with the recesesd portions 56 being formed integral with the surface member 40 during the forming process. The member 40 may also be made of fibreboard, or a light weight stamped metal. In the latter case of a stamped metallic playing surface 40, it is desirable to provide a felt-like surface on the upper playing surface of member 40 to increase the friction between the ball 62 and the playing surface. While the playing surface member 40 has been described as having a generally shallow conical shape, various undulations may be formed randomly in the member 40 so as to further increase the difiiculty of the game.

Having thus described the elements comprising a preferred embodiment of the golf game in accordance with the present invention, its operation will be explained briefly. The participants in the game may select the playing characters 60 which they desire to use during the course of playing the game and the order of playing as above described. After the selector ring 150 has been rotated to determine the particular apertures toward which each player shall shoot, and/or the order of playing, the game is begun. Initially, all of the aperture closure plates 108 are pressed downwardly into cooperative releasable open position with lever members 14 as illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 6. The participating player will then rotate his playing character 60 to aim and shoot a ball 62 toward a particular aperture 106. If the participating player is successful, the ball 62 will pass through the target aperture 106 whereupon it will engage the upper surface of lever member 124 and move it downwardly to thereby release the closure plate 108 which in turn is urged to its upward aperture closing position by the spring 128. The ball 62 will thereafter pass through the corresponding aperture 134 and into the guide channel 136 where it is conveyed to the center aperture 42 in the playing surface member 40 and into the receptacle 48. The ball 62 may thereafter be lifted from the aperture 42 through receptacle 48 by means of the staff 50 to be used over again by one of the participating players. It can be seen that once a closure plate member 108 has been moved to its aperture closing position, that particular aperture will be eliminated as a target for any of the participatin g players.

Any suitable scoring scheme can be utilized by the participating players that will compensate for the degree of difficulty of the respective target apertures 106 which in turn is determined by the location of the obstacle recesses 56 and the relative distance between the target apertures and the shooting player.

While a preferred embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and therefore, the appended claims are intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A game device for use with spherical balls and the like, comprising, in combination, a base member including a playing surface having a plurality of apertures therein, at least one playing character disposed about said playing surface and mounted in rotatable relation to said surface, said playing character including ball propelling means, a plurality of normally open closure members associated with said apertures, each of said closure members being adapted to selectively close its corresponding aperture after a ball drops through the corresponding aperture, ball receiving means disposed in juxtaposition to the playing surface, and guide means adapted to convey balls to said receiving means after the balls drop through asid apertures during playing whereby the balls may be removed from said receiving means for further playing of the game device.

2. A game device as defined in claim 1 including means for randomly selecting a particular aperture toward which a player is to aim and shoot when playing the game device.

3. A game device as defined in claim 1 including means for urging said closure members to aperture closing positions, and means for releasably holding each of said closure members in an open position, said releasable holding means being adapted to release a closure member from its open position when a ball drops through the corresponding aperture.

4. A game device as defined in claim 3 wherein a releasable holding means is disposed below each of said apertures such that a ball dropping through one of said apertures will engage the corresponding holding means to thereby effect closing of the associated closure member.

5. A game device as defined in claim 1 wherein said closure members are pivotally mounted adjacent their corresponding apertures for pivotal movement into and out of aperture closing positions.

6. A game device as defined in claim 5 including spring means for urging said closure members to their closed positions, and means including a pivotally mounted lever for releasably holding each of said closure members in its open position, each lever being positioned to engage a ball as it drops through the corresponding aperture to thereby release the corresponding closure member from its open position.

7. A game device as defined in claim 6 including spring means operatively associated with each of said levers for urging said levers to positions wherein they can releasably hold said closure members in open positions.

8. A game device as defined in claim 6 wherein said guide means are disposed in generally parallel relation to said releasable holding means and are associated therewith such that balls which drop through apertures to release the corresponding closure members from their open positions will thereupon be conveyed by said guide means to said ball receiving means.

9. A game device as defined in claim 1 wherein said ball receiving means comprises a ball return receptacle disposed centrally of the playing surface.

10. A game device as defined in claim 9 including a removable lift-out member adapted to be positioned within said ball return receptacle whereby balls conveyed to said ball return receptacle may be removed therefrom by removing said lift-out member from within said receptacle.

11. A game device as defined in claim 1 including means disposed about said playing surface for indicating the cumulative scores of the respective players.

12. A game device as defined in claim 1 wherein said playing surface includes a plurality of hazards to impede the travel of a ball encountering said hazards when in motion on said playing surface.

13. A game device as defined in claim 12 wherein said hazards include depressions formed in said playing surface.

14. A game device as defined in claim 9 wherein said guide means are adapted to convey balls dropped through said apertures to said ball return receptacle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 663,87 8 12/1900 Fullington 273 1,657,388 1/1928 Gorrnan 27387.4 1,736,316 11/1929 Lasting 273-l25 2,118,084 5/1938 Heinzelmann 273-87.2 2,632,649 3/1953 Schaefer 273l25 3,050,307 8/1962 Glass et al. 27387.4 3,054,615 9/1962 Budish 27387.4

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner PAUL E. SHAPIRO, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 273-125 

